US Rep. John Lewis, civil rights pioneer, dies of cancer at 80

By CALVIN WOODWARD and DESIREE SEALS Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement whose bloody beating by Alabama state troopers in 1965 helped galvanize opposition to racial segregation, and who went on to a long and celebrated career in Congress, died. He was 80.
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MVC closes for two weeks

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commissioner Sue Fulton announced that agency and road testing facilities throughout the State will be closed for two weeks due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The MVC headquarters and online operations will continue.

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Hornik Announces Restrictions On Restaurants in Marlboro

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik is restricting the hours of operation and the seating capacity at restaurants in the Township due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hornik signed Executive Order 2020-2 today which orders that bars and restaurants close at 10 p.m. and seat only 50% of their occupancy capacity.

“In light of the Local State of Emergency and the State of Emergency issued by Governor Murphy, it is a matter of public health and safety that these restrictions be put into effect,” Mayor Hornik said. “The public and local businesses should be prepared for further restrictions and possible restaurant closures in the next coming days or weeks and furthermore, state health department may take additional action to prevent the spread of the virus in our community.”

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Murphy: ‘More draconian steps’ to stop coronavirus spread likely coming to N.J.

As coronavirus cases continue to grow, New Jerseyans can expect “more draconian measures” in the coming days and weeks to prevent its spread in the state, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Sunday morning.

He said people should look to Hoboken and Teaneck, where curfews and calls by local officials to self-quarantine have been put in place, as examples of what to expect as the numbers of people who test positive for the virus rise.“(It’s) the notion of keeping population groupings low,” Murphy said on a morning call to WBLS to discuss the state’s response.“We will be looking at more draconian steps,” he s… Read the rest of this entry »

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President Donald Trump tests negative for coronavirus, his doctor says

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the president’s personal physician.

The White House released the test results Saturday night after Trump told reporters hours earlier that he had taken the coronavirus test, following days of resisting being screened despite the fact that he had been in recent contact with three people who have tested positive for the virus.

Trump told reporters at a White House briefing on Saturday that he had his temperature taken and it was “totally normal,” shortly before stepping into the room to discuss the g… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. municipal court sessions suspended over coronavirus concerns

Municipal court sessions in New Jersey will be suspended for two weeks to minimize exposure to the coronavirus, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner announced Saturday.

Anyone scheduled to appear in court between Monday, March 16, and Friday, March 27, to contest a traffic or parking ticket, or a minor local ordinance violation, should wait to receive a new court date.

Municipal courts will continue handling items such as temporary restraining orders, hearings in which a defendant has been detained and matters involving public safety, Rabner noted.Attorneys and others still required t… Read the rest of this entry »

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First coronavirus death on US soil confirmed, Trump calls for calm

Los Angeles (AFP) – The first fatality from the novel coronavirus has been confirmed on US soil, a woman in her late 50s who was “medically high-risk,” President Donald Trump said Saturday, as he urged Americans not to panic.Health officials said the woman in Washington state was one of a handful with no known links to global hot zones to have contracted the virus — indicating that the pathogen was now likely spreading in communities.The death occurred in King county, the most populous in the state and home to Seattle, a city of more than 700,000 people, officials in the state told AFP.The vi… Read the rest of this entry »

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Jessie Grieb arrives in Key West

Jessie Grieb, the 27 year old Spring Lake native who set out last July to walk from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, Florida to raise awareness about the opioid addiction crisis, and support her own recovery, arrived in the Conch Republic early yesterday evening.  She is scheduled to arrive at Mile Marker 0 this morning at 9 a.m.  Tune into her facebook page for the emotional conclusion of her inspiring journey.

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Saving Lives: President Signs Two of Rep Smith’s Bills Into Law

Callista Gingrich, Ambassador to the Holy See, Rep Chris Smith and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House for the bill signing ceremony

President Donald Trump signed two bills crafted by Congressman Chris Smith into law on Tuesday: a five-year, $30 billion extension of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act, legislation to ensure ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria receive humanitarian relief and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

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Silence is Not an Option

Congresssman Chris Smith delivered the following remarks in Lakewood on October 29, 2o18:

photo via @thelakewoodscoop

Words are inadequate to convey my—our—outrage and profound sorrow over the loss of eleven precious lives and the wounding of 6 others including four courageous police officers at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh.

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